Legacy
by Isil Elensar
Summary: To learn the skills of survival and life is to learn one's heritage, to inherit one's birthright, and to become part of family legacy. This is a story composed of vignettes which intends to give insight in Legolas' life after the Ring War.
1. Archery Lesson

Twin bows held at the ready.

Twin arrows nocked and aimed at their targets.

Twin pairs of blue eyes narrowed slightly in concentration and twin blond heads held still.

They waited calmly, patiently, as they listened for the command to loose their arrows. Their instructor gently, yet firmly, adjusted their stance, grips, and posture, with lessons and brief stories of his own prowess filling their heads. When he was satisfied with them, they waited again, until he called "fire!" and they let their arrows fly.

Twin arrows flew straight and true.

Twin arrows with fletching of brilliant white whistled toward their marks.

Twin arrows struck the targets with a soft thud, but neither shaft hit the bull's eye.

Twin blond heads bowed with disappointment even as they heard soft laughter from behind them.

"Come, my girls. It takes hours of practice to become true archers," their teacher said when he laid a comforting hand upon each small shoulder. "When I was your age, my arrows had yet to even scratch the target!"

"You're just saying that to make us feel better," one said, still looking disheartened.

"We will never be great archers," the other whispered dejectedly. "We will never be as great as you, Ada."

Legolas stole a glance back at his wife and father before turning back to his daughters. He knelt and took them in his arms, bows and all.

"You will be as great as me, if not better," he reassured them. "But even if you aren't, I'll still love you with all my heart." He held them close and tight, feeling the thrill of fatherhood stealing through him again when twin pairs of arms wrapped around him to hold him just as tight. He kissed each golden head and then stood.

"Shall we try again?"

Twin heads nodded emphatically and twin smiles beamed up at him.

They took their bows, turned and positioned themselves, waiting for his word to loose their arrows. Legolas couldn't help grinning with pride while he adjusted their stance, grip, and posture again. These were his children, his legacy, and one day they would indeed be great archers, if not better, than he.

Quietly, he gave the order. "Fire."

Twin arrows flew straight and true.

Twin arrows with fletching of brilliant white whistled toward their marks.

Twin arrows struck the targets with a soft thud, and both shafts hit the bull's eye.


	2. A Diversion

"They ride as if they were born to it," she remarked quietly beside him. "They are quite clearly _your_ daughters. I was not an agile rider when I first rode a horse." They watched their daughters on their ponies, riding bareback at a brisk trot around the paddock. Both girls bore brilliant smiles on their faces; their golden locks flowing back like twin golden flags.

Legolas took her hand in his and kissed the palm, drawing her ice-blue gaze to his own. "You ride as well as I do," he told her quietly. "But, you must know, I've had my fair share of accidents too. I did not take to riding as easily as many have been led to believe."

"What?!" she cried in mock-astonishment. "You mean to tell me that Legolas Thranduilion wasn't riding and taming half-broken stallions before he was able to walk properly? No! I find that hard to believe."

Laughing, he pulled her down from the fence and into his arms. "Do you mean to tell me that my father has yet to regale you with stories of my less-than-accomplished riding abilities?"

This time she laughed, standing up on tiptoes to kiss the corner of his mouth. "He told me those stories, but I didn't believe him either."

"You believe me to be perfect, then?"

"Of course not! Well," she amended with a sensual grin, "perhaps not perfect except when we're alone."

"Minx!" he teased before he kissed her full on the mouth.

He forgot the lesson he was supposed to give his girls. He forgot everything while he was with his beloved wife. He didn't even notice the sound of hoof beats stopping behind him and still didn't notice anything was amiss until the sound of giggling penetrated their passionate embrace. Their kiss did not end until two impudent children nudged their ponies' noses into his back.

"Cheeky little maids, are they not?" he asked his wife while she quickly attempted decorum. Her disheveled hair, flushed face, and kiss-swollen lips negated that endeavor.

"They are _your_ daughters, my lord," she returned with a grin. "Every bit as mischievous as you are."

Legolas grinned roguishly. "Perhaps," he agreed a little smugly. He dodged her small fist before it could hit his arm. "But then, they have _your_ temper!" Legolas kissed her cheek and her laughter followed him as he went to resume the girls' riding lesson.


	3. Hide and Seek

The sun shone brightly, glimmering in sparkles off the surface of the small lake. A soft breeze danced with the rushes and tall grasses surrounding the water. In the shade of nearby trees, his wife and father sat nibbling fruit and cheese, sipping juice from their goblets, and grinning madly at him: they tried not to laugh.

"Ada, you're supposed to catch us!" a little voice cried from his left.

Legolas lifted his face to the sky and closed his eyes against the sun, knowing he might never live this down.

Grasses rustled, giggles carried to him on the breeze. His eyes roamed the area in the direction of that imperative, impertinent voice. At least they had not yet mastered the fine art of moving silently.

"Ada? This game isn't supposed to take so long," another voice rang out from behind him. So, they had divided, thinking to confuse him. Well, he still had a few tricks up his sleeve.

"He certainly started to move slower since the girls began to play this game," his father said in a ringing voice. "I would have thought one would learn to move faster."

"You only had Legolas to play hide-and-seek," his wife defended, though there was laughter in her voice. "We have two, and they've learned to divide their forces against him."

Legolas did not speak: it would betray his position and give them time to run off again. He wouldn't make that mistake again.

"Ada! Come catch me!" he heard again from his left, though closer now. From his right, he heard his other daughter approaching. They were going to join forces it seemed. With silent feet, he crept around so that they would be in front of him.

"Do you think he's lost us?" one voice whispered, completely unaware of his close proximity.

"No, but I don't think he's nearby," the other responded, sounding quite unsure. More giggling erupted and he moved forward, closer to them.

"Maybe we should call out again," the first voice suggested quietly.

"Ada!!" both voices rang out. Then two little squeals pierced the air as he pounced, gathering them up, one laughing daughter tucked under each arm.

"We thought you had lost us, Ada."

"We thought you would never find us."

With love, he looked at them and smiled. "I will never lose you," he promised seriously. "I'll always find you, my little loves. Always."


	4. After the Ball

"They're still dancing," one small, tired voice whispered.

"The music stopped long ago," the other murmured sleepily.

The twins were sitting with their grandfather on the dais in the ballroom. Their very first ball had just come to an end, and they were very drowzy. But they didn't want the night to end, and clearly, neither did their parents. Ada was elegantly dressed in dark green velvet. Mama looked radiant in pale blue silk, her long hair unbound in shimmering white-blond waves. They danced across the floor, their eyes never wavering from each other, soft smiles gracing their faces.

"They look as if they had just fallen in love," the first voice said wistfully.

"As it should be," their grandfather answered. "Your parents have loved each other for a very long time."

"Even before we were born?" came the startled question.

"Indeed," he replied, smiling down at them. "They loved each other even before they realised it themselves." He sighed happily. "We should all be so lucky to find a love like theirs."

In silence, they watched the pair glide around the ballroom. Ada would twirl Mama, and Mama would laugh when she returned to his arms, and then she would kiss him quickly. The pattern continued until they swept in front of the dais and stopped. The girls, who had been lulled by the dance, were roused with a gasp. Ada bent to lift one daughter in his arms, and Mama picked up the other.

"We saved the last dance for you," Ada said quietly, and began a new dance. Mama followed, humming a tune to dance to.

Thranduil watched the family as they moved around the floor. His eyes lingered on them for a moment before looking up to the balcony where a musician remained. With a slight nod, the musician started to play his violin. The soft music cascaded down; both Legolas and his wife looked surprised and grateful at the same time. The addition of music, played in a gentle lullaby, made his granddaughters cuddle further into their parents' embrace, yawn, and then they fell asleep.

When the music faded to and end, the couple left the ballroom with their sleeping children. Thranduil stood, then stretched, and gave the command for the lights to dim and the servants to find their beds. It had been his granddaughters' first ball, and it had been a wonderful night.


End file.
